Economic ills weigh on Italian event, too

Just a year ago, hotels were bursting at the seams during fashion week, and a trendy meal meant reserving a table weeks in

advance.

These days, a weak economy is gripping Milan."

"Since last July, we are serving 1,000 customers less every month," said Giusi Rosellini, an owner of

da Ilia, a popular restaurant.

The fashion enthusiasts' lack of appetite is most evident during the shows, which continue through Wednesday.

For the past few years, the event's calendar has been getting thinner -- down to six days from 10 in 2008 for this round of womenswear preview showings for fall-winter 2009-10 -- and attendance has been diminishing.

According to the Italian fashion chamber, accredited media attendance is down by more than 30 percent this year from the 2,000-plus last year, and stores have cut the number of buyers they're sending.

More than one designer -- including flamboyant Roberto Cavalli -- bowed out of the official show calendar.

"It's a bad moment for all," said Giulia Pirovano of the fashion chamber's media office.

To combat the bleakness ahead, designers are opting for what Giorgio Armani calls "modest extravagance" with safe rather than sexy styles, and a color palette based on black with erratic moments of bright color and sparkling glitter -- a la the New York shows this month.